GM donates $1 million to Habitat for Humanity to help revitalize neighborhoods

The General Motors Foundation is providing a $1 million grant to Habitat for Humanity International to help with neighborhood revitalization efforts in 12 U.S. cities, including Detroit and Lansing.

Union Beach (NJ) EMS Chief Carlos Rodriguez gets behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Tahoe donated by Chevrolet to the Union Beach EMS station Thursday, January 31, 2013 at the Washington Auto Show in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Finkenstaedt for Chevrolet)GM

DETROIT, MI- The General Motors Foundation is providing a $1 million grant to Habitat for Humanity International to help with neighborhood revitalization efforts in 12 U.S. cities, including Detroit and Lansing.

The grant will go toward  financial support for new construction, home repair and rehabilitation, weatherization efforts and more, according to officials.

“This grant will help construct healthier neighborhoods and an improved sense of community,” said Foundation President and GM Director of Corporate Relations Vivian Pickard in a statement. 

Other cities include Arlington and Austin, Texas; Atlanta; Baltimore; Chicago; Denver; Los Angeles; Nashville; New Orleans and Phoenix.

Pickard presented the grant during the Washington Auto Show, where the automaker also donated a a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe to the Union Beach EMS squad that was on the front lines during Hurricane Sandy. 

THe grant and Tahoe are the most recent donation from the Detroit-based automaker and its foundation in the past year or so.

GM Video: GM donates 24 Express cargo vans to Habitat for Humanity International

Earlier this year, Chevrolet donated to Habitat for Humanity International 24 Express cargo vans to create the organization’s first-ever fleet of mobile response units filled with tools and equipment from Lowe’s and Robert Bosch Tool Corp.

“In addition to the Foundation’s grant, our team GM Cares employee volunteers will help low-income families rebuild and restore their homes and participate in other vital community projects,” Pickard said.

GM CEO and Chairman Dan Akerson has also publicly donated nearly $1.3 million to the nonprofit.

Earlier this month, Akerson sold his Regal Turquoise 1958 Corvette in the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction for $270,000 with all proceeds benefitting Habitat for Humanity Detroit’s projects in the Morningside Commons neighborhood.

And last year, Akerson and his wife personally donated $1 million as the cornerstone contribution for the “Leaders to ReBuild Detroit” campaign.